Charles Haughey, Tribunal is investigating 11 cheques co-signed by Bertie Ahern
The Moriarty Tribunal has been hearing evidence from the former private secretary to Charles Haughey. Eileen Foy administered the Fianna Fáil party leader's allowance account. She said that her memory of events ten years ago was not good and that the only payments she could recollect being made to the account were exchequer funds and money raised for the liver transplant of Tánaiste Brian Lenihan.
The Tribunal heard earlier how £15,000 was paid to Le Coq Hardi restaurant in one year out of the party's leader's allowance account. There were five separate payments in 1991 and all were co-signed by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The tribunal is currently investigating 11 cheques drawn on the party leader's allowance account in 1990 and 1991, all of which were co-signed by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. These include 5 cheques worth over £15,000 made out to the restaurant. There is also a payment of over £2,400 to Adare Manor and two payments to Celtic Helicopters of almost £6,000.
Some of the cheques were made out to cash and more to AIB and the tribunal team consider it likely that these were for the payment of bank drafts. Also under investigation is a cheque for £10,000 from Irish Permanent, which went through Celtic Helicopters account and ended up in an account in the EBS in the name of Mrs. Maureen Haughey.
The Tánaiste has said that the payment made to Le Coq Hardi seemed like an extraordinary amount of money for one restaurant in one year. Speaking this afternoon in Cork, Mary Harney said that, like everybody else, she too was dismayed about the events of the past. She said that it was right that these were now being investigated, but that it would be unfair to the parties involved if she, as a member of the Cabinet, were to comment each time there was a new revelation.
